Improvement in car-couplings



n. D. WHIT'TEMORE.

Car-Couplings, No.155,175, Patented Sept.22,1874.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

ROBERT D. WHITTEMORE, OF BELVIDERE, VERMONT.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 55,175, dated September 22, 1874 application filed July 9, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT D. WRITTE- MORE, of Belvidere, in the county of Lamoille and State of Vermont, have invented certain 'new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is an end view of car, showing my improved devices for coupling the same. Fig. 2 is a top View, and Fig. 3 a side view.

Like letters in all the figures of the drawing indicate like parts.

i This invention relates to the ordinary coupling link and pin, such as are now used for coupling cars; and consists of a lever suspended by a chain from a fulcrum-block attached to the end of the car, and constructed so that the brakeman can readily direct or control the link so that it will enter the bumper of "the car to be coupled without the necessity of his going between the cars to accomplish it by'hand, as is now the case where the bumper is too high or too low, or too much on one side, thus avoiding all liability of his receiving an injury or losing his life; also, to the peculiar construction and combination of a curved or bent lever with a curved steel spring, the said lever being arranged to work in a slotted guide, and having its fulcrum on the end of the car, and connected directly with the head of the coupling-pin, so that the latter can be readily withdrawn from or inserted in the link by the lever from the side of the car, as will be here-- angular projection will be thrown upward,

and thus the brakeman can readily insert it in the link and direct the latter from the side of the car, and cause it to enter the bumper of the car to be coupled, Without having to go between the cars at the risk of his life to accomplish it by hand. 0 is the coupling-pin lever, bent or curved so as to connect directly with the head of thecoupling-pin e, and having its fulcrum on the end of the car, and arranged to work in the slotted guide h, and over a flat steel spring, D, curved outwardly, and attached to the car alongside of the guide, so that the lever, when elevated to insert the pin in the link, will be retained in that position by the curve of the spring, and vice versa when depressed to Withdraw the pin from the link. Thus, with this arrangement of the lever with the pin and spring, the brakeman can 0perate the lever so as to couple or uncouple the cars with perfect safety from the side thereof, and as expeditiously as can be ordinarily done by hand-in fact, much more so, as the lever will enable him to force the pin out of the link if there should be any strain upon it.

The link-lever B, when not in use, is placed out of the way by securing it upon the hook E, attached to the end of the car, with the 'operating end of the lever in the notch under the fulcrum-block.

I am aware that link-levers have been used before, but the objection to them is, that in one case the lever has no device for guiding the link laterally and, besides, the lever is suspended in such a way as to make it impracticable for use on a passenger-car, while in the other case the operating end of the lever is complicated in its construction, and has no pivotal or fulcrum bearing, so that considerable manipulation is required to guide the lever properly, Whereas, in this invention, all of these defects are overcome, the operating end of the lever being always in position ready for use for guiding the lever when suspended from its fulcrum.

Having thus fully described my invention,

What I claim therein as new, and desire to semy own invention I affix my signature in prescure by Letters Patent, is ence of two Witnesses.

The link-lever B provided with a trian- 1 gular projection, c, and combined with a chain ROBERT WHITTEMORE' and a fixed fulcrum-block, substantially as Witnesses: and for the purpose set forth. A. J. GHAFFEE,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as CAROLINE OHAFFEE. 

